Further Account of the Trials of New England Witches, Narrative
A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF THE New-England Witches.
WITH THE OBSERVATIONS Of a Perſon who was upon the Place ſeveral Days when the ſuſpected Witches were firſt taken into Examination.
To which is added, Caſes of Conſcience Concerning Witchcrafts and Evil Spirits Perſonating Men.
Written at the Requeſt of the Miniſters of New-England.
By Increaſe Mather, Preſident of Harvard Colledge.
Licenſed and Entred according to Order.
London: Printed for I. Dunton, at the Raven in the Poultrey 1693. Of whom may be had the Third Edition of Mr. Cotton Mather's Firſt Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches, Printed on the ſame ſize with this Laſt Account, that they may bind up together.
Advertiſement.
THere is now preparing for the Preſs, An APPENDIX to this Work, giving an Account of the late Diſpoſſeſſing of a Perſon in England by Faſting and Prayer. Printed by the Conſent of the Miniſter chiefly concern'd. With a Preface to it by a Reverend Divine living in London. Printed for John Dunton, at the Raven in the Poultrey.
A TRUE NARRATIVE of ſome Remarkable Paſſages relating to ſundry Perſons afflicted by Witchcraft at Salem Village in New-England, which happened from the 19th. of March to the 5th. of April, 1692.
Collected by Deodat Lawſon.
ON the Nineteenth day of March laſt I went to Salem Village, and lodged at Nathaniel Ingerſol's near to the Miniſter Mr. P's. Houſe, and preſently after I came into my Lodging, Capt. Walcut's Daughter Mary came to Lieut. Ingerſol's and ſpake to me; but ſuddenly after, as ſhe ſtood by the Door, was bitten, ſo that ſhe cryed out of her Wriſt, and looking on it with a Candle, we ſaw apparently the marks of Teeth, both upper and lower ſet, on each ſide of her Wriſt.
In the beginning of the Evening I went to give Mr. P. a Viſit. When I was there, his Kinſwoman, Abigail Williams, (about 12 Years of Age) had a grievous fit; ſhe was at firſt hurried with violence to and fro in the Room (though Mrs. Ingerſol endeavoured to hold her) ſometimes making as if ſhe would fly, ſtretching up her Arms as high as ſhe could, and crying, Whiſh, Whiſh, Whiſh, ſeveral times; preſently after ſhe ſaid, there wa… Goodw. N. and ſaid, Do you not ſee her? Why there ſhe ſtands! And ſhe ſaid, Goodw. N. offered her THE BOOK, but ſhe was reſolved ſhe would not take it, ſaying often, I wont, I wont, I wont take it, I do not know what Book it is: I am ſure it is none of God▪s Book, it is the Devil's Book for ought I know. After that, ſhe run to the Fire, and begun to throw Firebrands about the Houſe, and run againſt the Back, as if ſhe would run up Chimney, and, as they ſaid, ſhe had attempted to go into the Fire in other Fits.
On Lords Day, the Twentieth of March, there were ſundry of the afflicted Perſons at Meeting, as, Mrs. Pope, and Goodwife Bibber, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcut, Mary Lewes, and Doctor Grigg's Maid. There was alſo at Meeting, Goodwife C. (who was afterward Examined on ſuſpicion of being a Witch:) They had ſeveral ſore Fits in the time of Publick Worſhip, which did ſomething interrupt me in my firſt Prayer, being ſo unuſual. After Pſalm was ſung, Abigail Williams ſaid to me, Now ſtand up, and name your Text! And after it was read, ſhe ſaid, It is a long Text. In the beginning of Sermon, Mrs. Pope, a Woman afflicted, ſaid to me, Now there is enough of that. And in the Afternoon, Abigail Williams, upon my referring to my Doctrine, ſaid to me, I know no Doctrine you had, If you did name one, I have forgot it.
In Sermon time, when Goodwife C. was preſent in the Meeting-Houſe, Ab. W. called out, Look where Goodwife C. ſits on the Beam ſuckling her Yellow Bird betwixt her fingers! Ann Putman, another Girle afflicted, ſaid, There was a Yellow Bird ſat on my Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit; but thoſe that were by, reſtrained her from ſpeaking loud about it.
On Monday the 21st. of March, the Magiſtrates of Salem appointed to come to Examination of Goodwife C. And about Twelve of the Clock they went into the Meeting-Houſe, which was thronged with Spectators. Mr. Noyes began with a very pertinent and pathetical Prayer; and Goodwife C. being called to anſwer to what was alledged againſt her, ſhe deſired to go to Prayer, which was much wondred at, in the preſence of ſo many hundred People: The Magiſtrates told her, they would not admit it; they came not there to hear her Pray, but to Examine her, in what was Alledged againſt her. The Worſhipful Mr. Hathorne asked her, Why ſhe afflicted thoſe Children? She ſaid, ſhe did not Afflict them. He asked her, who did then? She ſaid, I do not know; How ſhould I know? The Number of the Afflicted Perſons were about that time Ten, viz. Four Married Women, Mrs. Pope, Mrs. Putman, Goodwife Bibber, and an Ancient Woman, named Goodall; three Maids, Mary Walcut, Mercy Lewes, at Thomas Putman's, and a Maid at Dr. Griggs's; there were three Girls from 9 to 12 Years of Age, each of them, or thereabouts, viz. Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams, and Ann Putman; theſe were moſt of them at Goodwife C's. Examination, and did vehemently Accuſe her in the Aſſembly of Afflicting them, by Biting, Pinching, Strangling, &c. And that they did in their Fits ſee her Likeneſs coming to them, and bringing a Book to them; ſhe ſaid, ſhe had no Book; they affirmed, ſhe had a Yellow Bird, that uſed to ſuck betwixt her Fingers, and being asked about it, if ſhe had any Familiar Spirit, that attended her? ſhe ſaid, She had no Familiarity with any ſuch thing. She was a Goſpel Woman: Which Title ſhe called her ſelf by; and the Afflicted Perſons told her, Ah! ſhe was A Goſpel Witch. Ann Putman did there affirm, that one day when Lieutenant Fuller was at Prayer at her Father's Houſe, ſhe ſaw the ſhape of Goodwife C. and ſhe thought Goodwife N. Praying at the ſame time to the Devil; ſhe was not ſure it was Goodwife N. ſhe thought it was; but very ſure ſhe ſaw the ſhape of Goodwife C. The ſaid C. ſaid, they were poor diſtracted Children, and no heed to be given to what they ſaid. Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Noyes replyed, It was the Judgment of all that were preſent, they were Bewitched, and only ſhe the Accuſed Perſon ſaid, they were Diſtracted. It was obſerved ſeveral times, that if ſhe did but bite her under lip in time of Examination, the Perſons afflicted were bitten on their Arms and Wriſts, and produced the Marks before the Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and others. And being watched for that, if ſhe did but Pinch her Fingers, or Graſp one Hand hard in another, they were Pinched, and produced the Marks before the Magiſtrates, and Spectators. After that, it was obſerved, that if ſhe did but lean her Breaſt againſt the Seat in the Meeting-Houſe, (being the Bar at which ſhe ſtood) they were afflicted. Particularly Mrs. Pope complained of grievous Torment in her Bowels, as if they were torn out. She vehemently accuſed the ſaid C. as the Inſtrument, and firſt threw her Muff at her; but that flying not home, ſhe got off her Shoe, and hit Goodwife C. on the Head with it. After theſe Poſtures were watched, if the ſaid C. did but ſtir her Feet, they were afflicted in their Feet, and ſtamped fearfully. The afflicted Perſons asked her, why ſhe did not go to the Company of Witches which were before the Meeting-Houſe Muſtering? Did ſhe not hear the Drum beat? They accuſed her of having Familiarity with the Devil, in the time of Examination, in the ſhape of a Black Man whiſpering in her Ear; they affirmed, that her Yellow Bird ſucked betwixt her Fingers in the Aſſembly; and Order being given to ſee if there were any ſign, the Girl that ſaw it, ſaid, it was too late now; ſhe had removed a Pin, and put it on her Head; which was found there ſticking upright.
They told her, ſhe had Covenanted with the Devil for ten Years, ſix of them were gone, and four more to come. She was required by the Magiſtrates to anſwer that Queſtion in the Catechiſm, How many perſons be there in the God-head? She anſwered it but oddly, yet was there no great thing to be gathered from it; ſhe denied all that was charged upon her, and ſaid, They could not prove a Witch; ſhe was that Afternoon Committed to Salem-Priſon; and after ſhe was in Cuſtody, ſhe did not ſo appear to them, and afflict them as before.
On Wedneſday the 23d. of March, I went to Thomas Putman's, on purpoſe to ſee his Wife: I found her lying on the Bed, having had a ſore Fit a little before; ſhe ſpake to me, and ſaid, ſhe was glad to ſee me; her Husband and ſhe both deſired me to Pray with her while ſhe was ſenſible; which I did, though the Apparition ſaid, I ſhould not go to Prayer. At the firſt beginning ſhe attended; but after a little time, was taken with a Fit; yet continued ſilent, and ſeemed to be Aſleep: When Prayer was done, her Husband going to her, found her in a Fit; he took her off the Bed, to ſet her on his Knees, but at firſt ſhe was ſo ſtiff, ſhe could not be bended; but ſhe afterwards ſat down, but quickly began to ſtrive violently with her Arms and Leggs; ſhe then began to Complain of, and as it were to Converſe Perſonally with, Goodwife N. ſaying, Goodwife N. Be gone! Be gone! Be gone! are you not aſhamed, a Woman of your Profeſſion, to afflict a poor Creature ſo? What hurt did I ever do you in my life? You have but two Years to live, and then the Devil will torment your Soul; for this your Name is blotted out of God's Book, and it ſhall never be put in God's Book again; be gone for ſhame, are you not afraid of that which is coming upon you? I know, I know what will make you afraid; the wrath of an Angry God, I am ſure that will make you afraid; be gone, do not torment me, I know what you would have (we judged ſhe meant, her Soul) but it is out of your reach; it is cloathed with the white Robes of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs. After this, ſhe ſeemed to diſpute with the Apparition about a particular Text of Scripture. The Apparition ſeemed to deny it; (the Womans Eyes being faſt cloſed all this time) ſhe ſaid, She was ſure there was ſuch a Text, and ſhe would tell it; and then the Shape would be gone, for, ſaid ſhe, I am ſure you cannot ſtand before that Text! Then ſhe was ſorely Afflicted, her Mouth drawn on one ſide, and her Body ſtrained for about a Minute, and then ſaid, I will tell, I will tell; it is, it is, it is, three or four times, and then was afflicted to hinder her from telling, at laſt ſhe broke forth, and ſaid, It is the third Chapter of the Revelations. I did ſomething ſcruple the reading it, and did let my ſcruple appear, leſt Satan ſhould make any Superſtitiouſly to improve the Word of the Eternal God. However, tho' not verſed in theſe things, I judged I might do it this once for an Experiment. I began to read, and before I had near read through the firſt Verſe, ſhe opened her Eyes, and was well; this Fit continued near half an hour. Her Husband and the Spectators told me, ſhe had often been ſo relieved by reading Texts that ſhe named, ſomething pertinent to her Caſe; as Iſa. 40. 1. Iſa. 49. 1. Iſa. 50. 1. and ſeveral others.
On Thurſday the Twenty Fourth of March, (being in courſe the Lecture-Day at the Village) Goodwife N. was brought before the Magiſtrates Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Corwin, about Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to be Examined in the Meeting-Houſe, the Reverend Mr. Hale begun with Prayer, and the Warrant being read, ſhe was required to give Anſwer, Why ſhe afflicted thoſe perſons? She pleaded her own Innocency with earneſtneſs. Thomas Putman's Wife, Abigail Williams, and Thomas Putman's Daughter accuſed her that ſhe appeared to them, and afflicted them in their Fits: but ſome of the others ſaid, that they had ſeen her, but knew not that ever ſhe had hurt them; amongſt which was Mary Walcut, who was preſently after ſhe had ſo declared bitten, and cryed out of her in the Meeting-Houſe, producing the Marks of Teeth on her wriſt. It was ſo diſpoſed, that I had not leiſure to attend the whole time of Examination, but both Magiſtrates and Miniſters told me, that the things alledged by the afflicted, and defences made by her, were much after the ſame manner as the former was. And her motions did produce like effects, as to Biting, Pinching, Bruſing, Tormenting, at their Breaſts, by her Leaning, and when bended back, were as if their Backs were broken. The afflicted Perſons ſaid, the Black Man whiſpered to her in the Aſſembly, and therefore ſhe could not hear what the Magiſtrates ſaid unto her. They ſaid alſo, that ſhe did then ride by the Meeting-Houſe, behind the Black Man. Thomas Putman's Wife had a grievous Fit in the time of Examination, to the very great impairing of her ſtrength, and waſting of her ſpirits, inſomuch as ſhe could hardly move hand or foot when ſhe was carried out. Others alſo were there grievouſly afflicted, ſo that there was once ſuch an hideous ſcriecth and noiſe (which I heard as I walked at a little diſtance from the Meeting-Houſe) as did amaze me, and ſome that were within, told me the whole Aſſembly was ſtruck with Conſternation, and they were afraid, that thoſe that ſate next to them were under the Influence of Witchcraft. This Woman alſo was that day committed to Salem Priſon. The Magiſtrates and Miniſters alſo did inform me, that they apprehended a Child of Sarah G. and examined it, being between 4 and 5 years of Age. And as to matter of Fact, they did unanimouſly affirm, that when this Child did but caſt its Eye upon the afflicted Perſons, they were tormented; and they held her Head, and yet ſo many as her Eye cold ſix upon were afflicted. Which they did ſeveral times make careful Obſervation of: The afflicted complained, they had often been Bitten by this Child, and produced the marks of a ſmall ſet of teeth accordingly; this was alſo committed to Salem Priſon, the Child looked hail, and well as other Children. I ſaw it at Lieut. Ingerſol's. After the Commitment of Goodw. N. Tho. Putman's Wife was much better, and had no violent Fits at all from that 24th. of March, to the 5th. of April. Some others alſo ſaid they had not ſeen her ſo frequently appear to them, to hurt them.
On the 25th. of March (as Capt. Stephen Sewal of Salem did afterwards inform me) Eliz. Paris had ſore Fits at his Houſe, which much troubled himſelf, and his Wife, ſo as he told me they were almoſt diſcouraged. She related, that the great Black Man came to her, and told her, if ſhe would be ruled by him, ſhe ſhould have whatſoever ſhe deſired, and go to a Golden City. She relating this to Mrs. Sewal, ſhe told the Child, it was the Devil, and he was a Lyar from the Beginning, and bid her tell him ſo, if he came again: which ſhe did accordingly, at the next coming to her, in her Fits.
On the 26th. of March, Mr. Hathorne, Mr. Corwin, and Mr. Higiſon, were at the Priſon-Keeper's Houſe to Examine the Child, and it told them there, it had a little Snake that uſed to ſuck on the loweſt Joynt of its Fore-Finger; and when they enquired where, pointing to other places, it told them, not there, but there, pointing on the loweſt Joint of the Fore-Finger, where they obſerved a deep Red Spot, about the bigneſs of a Flea-bite; they asked who gave it that Snake? whether the great Black Man? It ſaid no, its Mother gave it.
The 31 of March there was a Publick Faſt kept at Salem on account of theſe Afflicted Perſons. And Abigal Williams ſaid, that the Witches had a Sacrament that day at an houſe in the Village, and that they had Red Bread and Red Drink. The firſt of April, Mercy Lewis, Thomas Putman's Maid, in her Fit, ſaid, they did eat Red Bread, like Man's Fleſh, and would have had her eat ſome & but ſhe would not; but turned away her head, and ſpit at them, and ſaid, I will not Eat, I will not Drink, it is Blood, &c. ſhe ſaid, That is not the Bread of Life; that is not the Water of Life; Chriſt gives the Bread of Life; I will have none of it! The firſt of April alſo Marcy Lewis aforeſaid ſaw in her Fit a VVhite Man, and was with him in a glorious Place, which had no Candles nor Sun, yet was full of Light and Brightneſs; where was a great Multitude in White glittering Robes, and they Sung the Song in the fifth of Revelation, the 9th verſe, and the 110 Pſalm and the 149 Pſalm; and ſaid with her ſelf, How long ſhall I ſtay here! let me be along with you: She was loth to leave this place, and grieved that ſhe could tarry no longer. This white Man hath appeared ſeveral times to ſome of them, and given them notice how long it ſhould be before they had another Fit, which was ſometimes a day, or day and half, or more or leſs, it hath fallen out accordingly.
The 3d of April, the Lord's-day, being Sacrament-day, at the Village, Goodw. C. upon Mr. Parris's naming his Text, John 6, 70. One of them is a Devil, the ſaid Goodw. C. went immediately out of the Meeting-Houſe, and flung the Door after her violently, to the amazement of the Congregation. She was afterward ſeen by ſome in their Fits, who ſaid, O Goodw. C. I did not think to ſee you here! (and being at their Red bread and drink) ſaid to her, Is this a time to receive the Sacrament, you ran-away on the Lord's Day, and ſcorned to receive it in the Meeting-Houſe, and, Is this a time to receive it? I wonder at you! This is the ſum of what I either ſaw my ſelf, or did receive Information from perſons of undoubted Reputation and Credit.
Remarks of things more than ordinary about the Afflicted Perſons.
1. They are in their Fits tempted to be VVitches, are ſhewed the Liſt of the Names of others, and are tortured, becauſe they will not yeild to Subſcribe, or meddle with, or touch the BOOK, and are promiſed to have preſent Relief if they would do it.
2. They did in the Aſſembly mutually Cure each other, even with a Touch of their Hand, when Strangled, and otherwiſe Tortured; and would endeavour to get to their Afflicted, to relieve them.
3. They did alſo foretel when anothers Fit was a-coming, and would ſay, Look to her! ſhe will have a Fit preſently, which fell out accordingly, as many can bear witneſs, that heard and ſaw it.
4. That at the ſame time, when the Accuſed Perſon was preſent, the Afflicted Perſons ſaw her Likeneſs in other places of the Meeting-Houſe, ſuckling her Familiar, ſometimes in one place and poſture, and ſometimes in another.
5. That their Motions in their Fits are Preternatural, both as to the manner, which is ſo ſtrange as a well perſon could not Screw their Body into; & as to the violence alſo it is preternatural being much beyond the Ordinary force of the ſame perſon when they are in their right mind.
6. The eyes of ſome of them in their fits are exceeding faſt cloſed, and if you ask a queſtion they can give no anſwer, and I do believe they cannot hear at that time, yet do they plainely converſe with the Appearances, as if they did diſcourſe with real perſons.
7 They are utterly preſſed againſt any perſons Praying with them, and told by the appearances, they ſhall not go to Prayer, ſo Tho. Putmans wife was told, I ſhould not Pray; but ſhe ſaid, I ſhould: and after I had done, reaſoned with the Appearance, Did not I ſay he ſhould go to Prayer.
8 The forementioned Mary VV. being a little better at eaſe, the Afflicted perſons ſaid, ſhe had ſigned the Book; and that was the reaſon ſhe was better. Told me by Edward Putman.
Remarks concerning the Accuſed.
1 For introduction to the diſcovery of thoſe that afflicted them It is reported Mr. Parris's Indian Man, and Woman, made a Cake of Rye Meal, and the Childrens water, baked it in the Aſhes, and gave it to a Dog, ſince which they have diſcovered, and ſeen particular perſons hurting of them.
2 In Time of Examination, they ſeemed little affected, though all the Spectators were much grieved to ſee it.
3 Natural Actions in them produced Preternatural actions in the Afflicted, ſo that they are their own Image without any Poppits of Wax or otherwiſe.
4. That they are accuſed to have a Company about 23 or 24 and they did Muſter in Armes, as it ſeemed to the Afflicted Perſons.
5. Since they were confined, the Perſons have not been ſo much Afflicted with their appearing to them, Biteing or Pinching of them &c.
6. They are reported by the Afflicted Perſons to keep dayes of Faſt and dayes of Thanksgiving, and Sacraments; Satan endeavours to Transforme himſelf to an Angel of Light, and to make his Kingdom and Adminiſtrations to reſemble thoſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
7. Satan Rages Principally amongſt the Viſible Subjects of Chriſt's Kingdom and makes uſe (at leaſt in appearance) of ſome of them to Afflict others; that Chriſt's Kingdom may be divided againſt it ſelf, and ſo be weakened.
8. Several things uſed in England at Tryal of Witches, to the Number of 14 or 15 which are wont to paſs inſtead of, or in Concurrence with VVitneſſes, at leaſt 6 or 7 of them are found in theſe accuſed ſee Keebles Statutes.
9. Some of the moſt ſolid Afflicted Perſons do affirme the ſame things concerning ſeeing the accuſed out of their Fitts as well as in them.
10. The Witches had a Faſt, and told one of the Afflicted Girles, ſhe muſt not Eat, becauſe it was Faſt Day, ſhe ſaid, ſhe would: they told her they would Choake her then; which when ſhe did eat, was endeavoured.